How to Distress Old Cabinets

If you have an old cabinet, distressing the surface will add to its aged and antiqued appearance. This is an appropriate decorating technique for antique lovers or those who enjoy the shabby-chic look. To distress an old cabinet, you will beat it up lightly with a few found objects, and then cover the cabinet with crackling medium. This glaze-like product cracks as it dries and will highlight the distressing you have already done.

Screwdriver
180-grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Key
Chain
Crackle medium
Foam paintbrush
Interior latex paint

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the hinges and hardware from the cabinets. Lay the doors on a flat surface.
- 2
  Sand the cabinets and doors with 180-grit sandpaper to remove any existing finish. Wipe the surfaces with tack cloth to remove the dust.
- 3
  Mark the cabinets and doors with light vertical and horizontal lines using the sharp edge of a key. The lines should be randomly placed and very light. Do not gouge the surface of the cabinets.
- 4
  Hit the cabinet doors and housing lightly with a chain to create nicks and dents in the surface.
- 5
  Apply crackling medium to the cabinets with a foam paintbrush. Apply it in a thin, even layer using overlapping strokes that all go in the same direction, such as down the cabinets or across to the left. Let the crackling medium dry. It will produce cracks that add to the distressed look.
- 6
  Rinse the foam brush. When it is dry, apply a thin layer of interior latex paint on top of the crackling medium in the opposite direction that you applied the crackle. Let the paint dry. Reinstall the hardware and rehang the doors.

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